He said Body Shop, founded in the UK by entrepreneur Anita Roddick, had already launched in India and was now looking at the other countries.

Mr Agon added that L'Oreal was exploring the testing of chemical ingredients on artificially-produced human skin.

"The big ambition in terms of animal testing is to make animal testing disappear completely and forever in the beauty industry," he said.

"And we absolutely share this vision with Anita Roddick and the Body Shop.

"Except that our way to achieve it is not to say that we are going to be out of the categories that require (animal testing) today but (that) we are inventing like crazy on alternative methods for the future."